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On 1 September 2016 Withy King LLP merged with Royds LLP. The trading name for the merged firm is Royds Withy King. All content produced prior to this date will remain in the name of the firms pre-merger.

European “Cookie Sweep” Initiative – Is your website up to scratch?

The European data protection authorities conducted a “cookie sweep” this month, carrying out random spot checks on websites to assess for compliance with EU “cookie” laws. Businesses have been advised to check their websites and cookie notices to ensure they are compliant and fix any issues.

Are your cookie notices correct?

Do you give the right information?

Do you collect valid consent from your website users?

Is your privacy policy correct?

Are you using customer data correctly and lawfully?

Is your marketing compliant with the new EU “cookie” laws?

These are just some of the questions businesses need to ask themselves in light of this pending initiative in Europe, which could trigger a wave of regulator enforcement action.

Enforcement powers have increased significantly in recent times, for example, in the UK, fine levels for breaches in the data protection arena recently increased from £5,000 to potentially £500,000 for serious breaches. The enforcement regime has changed and must not be ignored.

Also the “grace” periods for ensuring compliance for consents/cookies/tracking has now come to an end and businesses are expected to have had enough time to understand the new rules and act to comply.

Our experts at Royds can provide comprehensive advice on all aspects of EU data protection laws. For more information please visit or contact John North or Claus Andersen.